The rule
Professional services are outside the Uniform Municipal Contracting Law entirely: no bids, no quotes required by statute. Kenyon's policy still requires two quotes or an RFP from $5,000, and in December 2024 the council adopted a motion to issue periodic RFPs for professional services. Auditor, engineer, attorney, prosecutor and financial consultant are appointed each January in the committee appointments resolution.
Authority: Minn. Stat. 471.345 subd. 2 (contract defined as supplies, materials, equipment and construction; services excluded); League of Minnesota Cities, Competitive Bidding Requirements in Cities; Policy No. 34; council motion Dec. 10, 2024 (periodic RFPs).
How it runs in Kenyon
- A need arises (auditor rotation, finance function, payroll vendor, administrator search) or the periodic-RFP policy comes due.
- Staff or the council writes an RFP or requests proposals from firms it knows; responses received after the deadline are returned unopened.
- Proposals compared on price and scope in a staff memo; the council appoints by motion or resolution.
- Engagement letter or contract reviewed by the city attorney.
What a vendor sends
- No statutory bid process means the door is a proposal to the administrator at any time, but nothing gets bought until the item is budgeted or the incumbent falters.
- Price the proposal in the city's format: multi-year totals (the audit RFP compared five-year totals), hourly rates, and what is included.
- Anything sent is public data under Minn. Stat. 13.03; a price is not a trade secret.
Every award in this band
| Date | Item | Process | Awarded to | Amount | Bidders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-12 | Finance/accounting services RFP | rfp | Abdo (continued) | — | Abdo proposal |
| 2024-12-10 | Auditing services RFP | rfp | BerganKDV | $27,540 | BerganKDV $27,540-29,500; CLA $97,640-70,940 |
| 2024-07-09 | City administrator recruitment | quotes | South Central Service Cooperative (Mike Humpal) | $14,500 | David Drown Associates; South Central Service Cooperative |
| 2023-08-08 | Payroll processing round 2 | quotes | staff rec Paycom; no award in record | — | Paychex $6,540+$1,650; Paycom $6,515+$2,100; ADP $8,250; Paylocity $5,758+$1,000 |
| 2023-03-28 | Payroll processing round 1 | quotes | deferred | — | Paychex $7,655; ADP $5,032; Abdo $20,820+$9,500 |
| 2021-09-14 | 2021 City & KMU audit | rfp | Abdo Eick & Meyers | $26,875 | Abdo $26,875-29,655 (5yr); CLA $32,130 |
| 2021-04-13 | Agenda/packet software | quotes | Granicus | $3,300 | Granicus ~$3,300/yr + others |
| 2019-08-13 | 2019 City/KMU/Liquor audit | sole | CliftonLarsonAllen | $20,950 | CLA $20,950 |
From the council record 2019–2026; each item links to its contract page with the proposal documents. Items without a recorded amount are placed by process.